• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 1995

A human hepatoma cell line, hep G2, was used to investigate the mechanism of serum cholesterol reduction by ginseng total saponin, ginsenoside-$Rb_1$, - $Rb_2$, and non-saponin fraction (ether extraction). Hep G2 cells were incubated in 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of cholesterol containing serum free-RPMl1640 medium with various concentration of ginseng components. The amounts of cholesterol in Hep G2 cells were decreased to maximum 51% in total saponin or two ginsenoside-treated groups while there was 137% increase in cholesterol level of control group as compared with that of normal group. Nonsaponin groups did not show the same effect. In order to elucidate the observed changes in the amount of cholesterol, the activity of amyl CoA : cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) in groups showing remarkable reduction in cholesterol amount, i.e., total saponin 10-6%, ginsenoside-$Rb_1$ $10^{-4}$%, ginsenoside-$Rb_2$, $10^{-4}$%, and non-saponin fraction $10^{-4}$%, was assayed using [1-$^{-14}C$%]oleic acid as enzyme substrate. The activity of ACAT was increased in all groups tested as compared with that of control group except for non-saponin group cultured in water soluble cholesterol containing medium. The serum cholesterol lowering effects of ginseng components can partially be attributed to the increased hepatocellular ACAT activity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 2007

Changes on physicochemical properties of fresh Korean ginseng during repeated 9 times steaming processes, steaming $90{\sim}95^{\circ}C$ for $1{\sim}3\;hr$ followed by hot air-drying at $50^{\circ}C$ for $36{\sim}48\;hr$, were investigated. The water contents decreased from 73.4% of fresh ginseng to 13.7% finally. The final yields in bases of total weights and dry matter were 21.0% and 79.0%, respectively. As the times of steaming processes increased, lightness (L value) decreased and redness (a value) increased in color of ginseng powder. Browning index also rapidly increased after 3 times of steaming process in particular. Total water soluble sugar contents decreased from 55.4% in fresh to 38.6% in final processed ginseng, but acidic polysaccharide contents increased by about 50% with increasing times of steaming process. Total phenolic compound contents significantly increased with repeated steaming processes especially after 5 times of steaming processes and crude saponin contents also increased in some degree. In the case of major ginsenosides, the contents of $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, $Rg_1$, Re (representative ginsenosides in fresh ginseng) decreased, but those of $Rg_2$, $Rh_1$, $Rg_3$ (unique ginsenosides in red ginseng) increased after especially 5 times of steaming processes.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.329-340
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of fermented wild-ginseng culture by-product on growth performance, blood characteristics, meat quality and ginsenoside concentration of meat in finishing pigs. Forty-eight pigs(Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc, 76.26±1.06kg average initial body weight) were used in 49d growth assay. Dietary treatments were included 1) CON(basal diet), 2) FWG1(basal diet+2.5% fermented wild-ginseng cultures by-product) and 3) FWG2(basal diet+5.0% fermented wild-ginseng cultures by-product). The pigs were allotted into four pigs per pen with four replicate pens per treatment by completely randomized design. No differences were found among treatments for ADG, ADFI and gain/feed from 0day to 49day of the experiment(P>0.05). Dry matter digestibility was greater in FWG1 treatment than CON treatment(P<0.05). In cholesterol concentration of blood, HDL cholesterol was significantly higher in CON treatment than FWG1 treatment(P<0.05). In meat quality, TBARS was significantly lower in FWG1 and FWG2 treatments than CON treatment(P<0.05). In sensory evaluation, Marbling was significantly higher in CON treatment than FWG1 treatment(P<0.05). Firmness in FWG2 and CON treatments was higher than FWG1 treatment(P<0.05). In meat color, L*-value of longissmus dorsi muscle was increased in FWG1 treatment compared to CON and FWG2 treatments(P<0.05). a* and b*-value of longissmus dorsi muscle were increased in CON and FWG1 treatments compared to FWG2 treatment (P<0.05). Ginsenoside concentration of meat was significantly higher in FWG2 treatment than CON treatment(P<0.05). In conclusion, fermented wild-ginseng culture by-product was effective for improving dry matter, TBARS, firmness, meat color and ginsenoside concentration of meat in finishing pigs.